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Topic: Getting ready for Varroa. (Read 4015 times)

I have been reading a bit about Varroa. Amongst other things, apparently both Coriander and Lavender are disliked by Varroa mites, so it's good to have them growing around your hives, and have plenty around for your bees to harvest when flowering. Anybody heard of any other aromatic plants varroa mites might not like?

I have been reading a bit about Varroa. Amongst other things, apparently both Coriander and Lavender are disliked by Varroa mites, so it's good to have them growing around your hives, and have plenty around for your bees to harvest when flowering. Anybody heard of any other aromatic plants varroa mites might not like?

Plus, what exactly are "hygienic" queens?

Cheers, Wonga

Well on the way in that case! and just planted a rosemary hedge for the girls

Michael,I sort of figured that was the default position, but I want to help my hives as much as I can, without resorting to "heroic" measures. I mean,healthy, happy hives, with minimum interference, right?

It's only a matter of time for the arrival of varroa here, both sides of politics have spent years weakening our quarantine process, to "save money" - I think the defining fault or Achilles heel of democracy seems to be that long term planning is a up until the next budget/election cycle (and short term planning is covering up what happened last week). Next thing, we will have rabies, just about everything else, from small hive beetle to Asian Bees, to papaya fly, has come in since the "reforms" of Quarantine started big time in the nineties.

By the way, Wonga, I can't grow lavendar up here and coriander always goes to seed, but we do have a heap of neem trees around the hives. I wonder if anyone has tried the miticidal properties of neem oil on varroa. The bees might object, however. http://www.livestrong.com/article/99452-neem-oil-uses/

Hops are supposed to be good too, I believe there is a commercial varoa product using hop extract. I planted a row of hops behind my bees late last year (I am a sometimes home brewer). Be interesting to see how they go next season. They didn't do much this season as they need plenty of water and I don't have a water supply in my orchard yet.

Hops don't spread out as such, they are a climber and prefer to grow upwards. Commercially they grow them up strings tied to overhead wires, at home you can do similar or grow them up a post or trellice or similar. I had mine growing up 3m high strings, and that wasn't high enough, they were still looking for places to go when they got to the top!

Hops are supposed to be good too, I believe there is a commercial varoa product using hop extract. I planted a row of hops behind my bees late last year (I am a sometimes home brewer). Be interesting to see how they go next season. They didn't do much this season as they need plenty of water and I don't have a water supply in my orchard yet.

preston do you have a flowing stream nearby?

seams there is a device that uses a little water presure frpm the stream. to pump water uphill.

>Is there another answer to solving varroa troubles than having more aggressive bees?

I have no aggressive bees and no Varroa problem.

I must say after reading all that it makes my head swim a little bit, but on the upside of things, you've made a believer out of me. I bought Russians due to sucky weather here, but also due to their genetics, and not having to treat them, you've opened my eyes to other things that could possibly be the reasons for their success.

I have but one question for you - what is your take on feeding the bees honey back to them, or even buying honey to ramp up production of combs?